The Key To Freedom Series
by Casey Crystal
Summary: Anyone remember when Tifa's hometown was burnt down? Ever wonder what she did or where she was from that time until she joinned AVALANCHE??? This is from a new charactor's POV. [note: can be considered a prequal to "Second Chances"]
1. chapter 1

THE KEY TO FREEDOM  
  
K, I wrote this quite a few months ago. I was wondering what had happened to Tifa after her hometown was burnt. Where was she from that time to the time she met up with Barret?  
  
  
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I stepped out into the artificial light and pulled my jacket closer together as I walked through he streets of sector 5. Because we couldn't see the sun with the plate overhead, the street lamps' brightness helped us through the day. I huddled up in my jacket again. The weather was extremely cold, but I wasn't done my schedule yet.  
  
It seems so strange for a fifteen year old girl like me to have such a busy schedule, but it was the only way I could survive in these slums.  
  
Though I knew I shouldn't be out this late, I always had my fire materia with me. I used it to keep me warm, to provide more light, and most important, to keep away from all those freaks out there. I've had more than enough memories of those people.  
  
"Hey Mystria." greeted Dublon, the shopkeeper as I walked in his pawn shop. I smiled and walked up to the desk. "Wha'cha got for me today?" he asked but before he could finish his sentence I had already laid out my materia on the desktop. Although materia is usually something you need to protect yourself with, I was content with my fire materia and sold any materia that I find laying around to Dublon. He usually likes what I bring in and gives me a fair price.  
  
After Dublon gave me my gill, I said thanks and headed out. This was more than enough to buy a few days worth of food. I guess I had found a really good materia this time. I fished my materia out of my pocket and concentrated on it until I felt the familiar warmth. Most people use them with their weapons, but I just held it in my hand since I didn't carry a weapon.  
  
As I was walking past the playground and the way into Wall Market, I heard crying and turned back to the entrance of the dreaded place. There I saw some of those freaks dragging along a few upset children on chains. I recognized them as slave sellers.  
  
The one I noticed first was a young brunette, maybe a year younger than me, that one of them was carrying. She apparently was in a coma, which looked like she had been in a serious fight. I could see burn marks, cuts and bruises all over her skin, and blood over the front of her shirt, which was sliced and you could see her frontside.  
  
Unaware of my stupidity, I walked up to who had seemed like the leader of them.  
  
"What are you doing with those children?" I asked in what I hoped was my most mature voice.  
  
"We're slave drivers." he replied, looking down at me as if he should add me to his collection of slaves "We found a bunch of these kids just outside Nibleheim all alone."  
  
"They've all got burn scares!" I said. "They need to be taken to a medical place, not sold for profit."  
  
I could feel the anger rising as some memories were brought into focus again, but I ignored them.  
  
"Listen girlie," he said to me "Now unless you plannin' on buying one of them, I ain't got time for you."  
  
I glanced at the unconscious girl, still sleep and unaware of her conditions. My mind was racing. If I buy this one, would I be able to heal her? I still have a healing materia at home, maybe...  
  
He interrupted my thoughts. "Well?"  
  
"How much is the unconscious one?" I asked, gill ready in my hand.  
  
He looked at her for a second. "20 gill. She's going cheap jus' 'cause she ain't gonna last long."  
  
I paid him the money and the one holding the girl set her on the ground and started unlocking the chains, mumbling something about how stupid he was about locking up one whom he didn't need to. While I watched him fight with the chains, my mind was racing with about a hundred questions. Where did she come from? Is she alright, and what happened to her? I paused at the last thought. How can I get her home?  
  
Before I could think of answering myself, the leader motioned to an old wheelbarrow. "If you want, you can have that old rotting 'barrel over there, no charge." I look over at it. It was probably what they carried her over on with. One wheel looked like it would fall off any instant and it in general was a piece of crap, but it would help me get her home.  
  
I thank him and they lift the girl onto the wheelbarrow for me and so I head home. I looked down at her. I had just bought a young girl, determined to heal her back to health and to save her. I shuddered as I wondered about who could've bought her if I didn't. Oh well, I made a goal and I'm going to achieve it, no matter what.  
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I hungrily dug into my apple. After I dropped the girl off in my room, where she still slept, I went out and bought plenty of food. It only cost 20 gill top get her away from those freaks so I had plenty money left over.  
  
I heard her move the blanket in my room and guessed she was up. Before I had a chance to see if she was alright, she was peering out of my room, which wasn't very big. All the place consisted off was the room I was in, a smaller room just big enough for the two beds, and an even smaller washroom. But it was my home.  
  
"Hello." I said as I smiled "Do you want to eat something? Come sit down."  
  
She slumped down in the other chair at the table and looked down into her lap. Realizing she wasn't wearing her own clothing, but a long T-shirt, she looked up at me, confused.  
  
I nodded to her shredded, blood-covered outfit hanging in the doorway of the washroom. The top was sliced all the way down in the front. "I thought you'd want better clothing after whatever had happened." She looked at her clothing again.  
  
"Sephiroth.." she said and I understood all too well. I heard many times about all his great journeys and his amazing fighting skill.  
  
"So you do talk." I said. "What's your name?"  
  
"I'm Tifa." she said. "I'm from Nibleheim."  
  
"I heard that from those slave sellers last night." When she gave me a puzzled look, I continued. "Some people sell kids they find on their own. Apparently they'd found you and a few others just outside your town."  
  
"You had to buy me?" asked Tifa timidly.  
  
"You looked like you were near death. You were covered in blood and burn marks and those guys weren't interested in healing you, just making a profit off ya."  
  
"Well, thank you," she said.  
  
"Mystria." I said.  
  
"Mystria. Thank you for saving my life, thought you shouldn't have."  
  
I froze at her comment. "What had happened to you girl?" I asked. Maybe this girl had gone through much more than I expected.  
  
"Sephiroth...he burned my home.....killed my friends, my daddy...I'm alone"  
  
She looked down, then back up.  
  
"what am I wearing?" she asked.  
  
"That was more than a simple cut." I said "Luckily I cast a cure materia before I went out to get some food. It didn't help fully, but you're in better condition than when I found you .Speaking of food, have some."  
  
Tifa shook her head. "Don't feel like eating."  
  
I shrugged. "Alright, but feel free to eat if you want to. There's more than enough. I got more gill than I expected yesterday."  
  
"Do you work?" she asked.  
  
"I have no one else to take care of me. I've been living by myself for about four years."  
  
"Four years? How old are you?"  
  
"Fifteen. I was once sold by a slave seller when I was about nine years old, and just like you I was sold to somebody who wasn't looking for a slave, but paid for me to save my life. She took really good care of me."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
I lowered my head. No more memories, please. "She left. That's all I know."  
  
Tifa nodded her head and I checked my watch. "I have to go to my job."  
  
"You're leaving me?"  
  
"You can come, if you want, but if you want to stay you can do that. Nobody knows where this place is. It's actually underground. But if you do want to come, I am a cook in a bar. What do you want to do?" I was right. This place was part of the sewers, though this part was abandoned but cleaner than all of Midgar. The only thing that flowed through there was actual fresh water.  
  
Tifa looked around. "I think I'll come. Is there anything I can wear other than this shirt?"  
  
I frowned. The only clothes I had were the ones I wore. Wait, I remember where there's other clothes. "My friend left some clothing before she left. It should still be here." I dragged a box out from the bedroom and we looked in the box. "I'm sorry," I said "She left only her party clothes."  
  
"It's alright." said Tifa as she pulled a tank top and a black skirt out the box, which I noticed were the most mature clothing out of the bunch. "I don't care anymore."  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked "That'd be dangerous clothing to wear at a bar, even if we'll be only in the kitchen.  
  
"I don't care." repeated Tifa "Besides, my dad put me in a martial arts class. I can defend myself if anything happens"  
  
I frowned as she closed the bathroom door behind her to change. She's so upset that when it comes down to it, she may not care if she lives or dies. Tifa emerged from the bathroom in the new clothes.  
  
"Let's go." I said. "Maybe we can get you a job cooking there if you're planning on staying in Midgar."  
  
"Is that where we are?" asked Tifa. I told her about the basics of Midgar. It wasn't anything like what she'd heard. She'd heard before that it was a beautiful, pro-business place, not even close to the slums. She'd also asked if I had heard about a SOLDIER named Cloud Strife, which I told her the name was familiar but you hear so many stories about the SOLDIERS of Shinra.  
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We walked into the bar of the sector seven slums an hour before it opens.  
  
"Hey Mystria." smiled Rian "Who's your friend?"  
  
I introduce him to Tifa and everyone else suddenly has an interest in her. I asked my boss, Fralin, if Tifa could maybe stay while I work and she agreed. The doors eventually opened and Tifa and I were hurried into the kitchen. This wasn't any place for girls of our age but it was the only way I could make a living, other than finding and selling materia, but materia's not that easy to find.  
  
I received the orders and began cooking. Tifa looked over my shoulder with great interest.  
  
"Can I cook a bit?" she asked.  
  
"You can cook?" I asked and she nodded.  
  
"My mom died a few years ago so I had to learn to cook for my dad and I...."  
  
So I gave her the orders and stepped back. When she mentioned her father I noticed that the light went out of her eyes.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Fralin as he came in the room. "Hey, you can cook just as good as Mystria, and that's a compliment if ever I heard one."  
  
I blushed as Tifa thanked him. I didn't know my cooking was that well liked.  
  
"Y'know," said Fralin "We could use the extra help around here. What do you think?"  
  
"I'd love to..." said Tifa but she glanced at me "That is, if Mystria is alright with sharing the kitchen..."  
  
"I'd love it!" I said. I was until then the youngest one there and I felt all alone. Now I was going to have a friend with me.  
  
That night as we walked home, Tifa noticed a large building looming in the distance and asked me about it.  
  
"That's a mako reactor." I explained. "To keep this city running, they put those large reactors in each sector that suck up all the mako. It's slowly killing the planet."  
  
"Why doesn't anybody do anything about it?"  
  
"Many people have tried, but they've all failed. Actually some people have been close, but they've never been able to get past the guards. What we need is a good strong warrior to get past them, but I'm not sure if that'll ever happen. The SOLDIERS have all had mako infusion, which enhances all their senses and strength. You could see it in their eyes."  
  
We snuck around some of the poorly built homes in the slums where there was no more artificial lighting. I used my fire materia slightly to light the way for Tifa but I didn't need it because I knew the entire place off by heart. Under the old lamp post that had been knocked down who knows how many years ago, around the rotting chocobo carriage, and then down the sewage pothole.  
  
"This is what my friend used to call: 'Let you go'," I laughed. "She had called it that because often we'd need to escape someone or something but you couldn't just say it in the open, so she made up a new way of saying it, like: 'I'm sorry, but I'll have to LET YOU GO'. Then we'd run at the next chance we got. It always worked." I stopped laughing as I thought of her again. Tifa smiled at the story as we went down the pothole.  
  
"It's so clean in here." said Tifa. I agreed. For some reason that I've never been able for figure out, no sewage ever came through, not that I wanted it to. I guess that it had been shut down or something. Where I lived, must have been a place built for an operator. There was controls but I never dared touch them. If Shinra still had a connection with them they would come down here if something was going on. That was a risk I wouldn't ever think of doing.  
  
We didn't eat much, but that was because we get to eat all the leftover meat from the bar that was going to spoil if no one would order it. Tifa sat at the table fiddling around with her food. I knew what was on her mind. I was able to keep her mind off of the incident today by keeping her busy, but now there was nothing to hold her thoughts.  
  
"Well, I've got to get to bed." I said as I put my dishes in the big box which I later take into the washroom and wash them there. "When you're ready to sleep you can use that big shirt you were wearing earlier."  
  
We said goodnight and I headed to my room but I found it hard to sleep. About a half hour later Tifa crawled into the bed across from mine, but I stayed quiet. Suddenly she started crying. The crying didn't last too long because she fell asleep within a few minutes. I turned to my side and found myself crying too. Not again. I thought I was done crying. No more, please. Seeing this little girl in her condition reminded me of when I went through it all.  
  
I closed my eyes and began dreaming about it once more. I was nine again, running away from SOLDIERS. I cried out as I stumbled, scratched my knees, but jumped up and kept running.   
  
"Don't let her get away!" shouted one of the guards. I found my way to the playground and hid in the cool sand under the slide. The guards ran by and I could hear their talking.  
  
"Man, where did she go?" asked one.  
  
"Aww *%@# the boss won't be happy that we lost track of her again." said the other.  
  
"He can't get mad if we don't tell him that we found her."  
  
"Hey you're right. Are you up for a beer?"  
  
"That would hit the spot right about now. Let's go!"  
  
They ran off and I let my head fall into the sand as my breathing went back to normal, but it came back in gasps as I saw feet right beside me and then they knelt down.  
  
That's when I woke up screaming. Tifa ran into the room to see if I was alright.  
  
"You ok Mystria?" she asked. I nodded and held my head in my hands. A nightmare, it was just a nightmare. It was all in the past, it's not happening again.   
  
Within a few minutes I was at the table sharing fried chocobo with her.  
  
"Are we going to the bar today?" she asked.  
  
"No, it's not open on Tuesdays until Thursdays. We have today to do anything we want."  
  
Tifa looked pleased. I knew she'd want to tour the city.  
  
"What's that place?" asked Tifa as we passed the place with all the flashing lights.  
  
"That's Wall Market." I said "That's a dangerous place for women to be."  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"Yep. It's alright if you have protection. I don't like going there. There's a man there called Don Corneo with a real sick mind. He loves women and spends his time looking for his future wife, but he knows everything that goes on with Shinra."  
  
Tifa nodded and we kept walking. Eventually we found ourselves outside the bar, The Seventh Heaven.  
  
"I thought it was closed." said Tifa. Inside we could see Rian sweeping.  
  
"It is, but Tuesday's for cleaning it and preparing for when it's open again. Do you want to come inside? I never was able to give you a tour anywhere except for the kitchen."  
  
Tifa said yeah and so we headed inside.  
  
"Hey Mystria." said Rian "We had a bit of a busy night last night, hadn't we?"  
  
I agreed. There was broken beer bottles all over the floor from the barfight that sprung up last night. I grabbed an extra broom and began sweeping up in one area. Tifa sat in the front hugging her knees watching the street.  
  
"Hey when are them Turks gonna show up to collect the taxes?" asked Rian and my head shot up.  
  
"They're coming here?" I asked, trying to hide the hesitation in my voice.  
  
"Mysty," said Fralin "You know they always come here on the first Tuesday of the month."  
  
I nodded, ignoring the nickname that I hate because it sounds like a ditzy charactor in another game. I had forgotten that they come on this day, but I had always stayed away.  
  
"Well," I said as I finished up the spot I was cleaning, "I think I'll check out the stove in the kitchen. It's been acting up lately."  
  
"They should be here any minute." I heard Fralin say as I sped into the kitchen and put the cleaning hat and gloves on and got into the stove. As if on cue the Turks show up and I hear them talking to Fralin.  
  
"Oh yes. Come into my office in the back and I'll get the money." said Fralin.  
  
My heart froze. They'd have to walk through the kitchen to get to the office. I hoped my plan would work. Fralin led them through the kitchen and I made eye contact with the one named Reno.  
  
"Wait a minute." said Reno as he turned back to look at me again. "You look familiar..."  
  
"C'mon Reno lets hurry up and get out of this dump." complained the blonde woman.  
  
"No.." said Reno who still hadn't taken his eyes off me. "I've met this girl before."  
  
I couldn't even think. I was too scared to do anything.  
  
"She works in a bar." suggested Rude "That's probably how you met her before."  
  
"Yeah, you've gotten plastered in this bar who knows how many times. C'mon." muttered the girl as she walked into Fralin's office with the three men following, but Reno took a few more seconds trying to figure out who I am. He obviously hadn't forgotten everything yet.  
  
I take off the hat and gloves and put them back in their drawer and bolt out of the bar. Tifa follows me and we don't stop until we were in the playground. I sat on the slide hugging my knees and Tifa sat beside me.  
  
"Who were those men?" she asked softly.  
  
"They are people you don't want to mess with." I said "I've had a bad history with two of them in that group."  
  
Tifa understood my fear and didn't say anything. She looked up and puzzlment fell upon her face.  
  
"Where's the sky?" she asked and I glanced upwards, thankful the topic's been changed.  
  
"Shinra built a higher level above this part called the plate. It blocks us from the sun. That's why there's artificial light posts here and so much pollution." I explained. "Everyone here hates it. It's too expensive to move up there and it's so cold."  
  
"Then why doesn't anyone move away?"  
  
"They're either too poor or they love their land. I don't know why I'm not out of here yet." I muttered. "I guess it's just easier to hide here."  
  
I slapped my hand over my mouth and Tifa looked at me "You're hiding? From those people we just saw?" I nodded.  
  
"I'm hiding from a lot of people."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because they want something from me, but they're not going to get it." I muttered through my teeth as I threw a rock against the edge of a slide as hard as I could. "We better head home."  
  
  
  
(To be continued)  
  
  
  
Note: I know Elana wasn't part of the Turks at this time, but *tries to look as big as possible* IT'S MY STORY AND I CAN WRITE WHATEVER I WANT! (no flames please)  
  
  
  
Caseycrystal@hotmail.com 


	2. chapter 2

I spent the next two days showing Tifa around the tunnels so that she could find her way around them without my help. The tunnels could lead anywhere in Midgar but each tunnel leading off where we lived was eventually blocked or caved in.  
  
"Who was your friend?" asked Tifa after some time.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Your friend. The one who saved you. What was her name?"  
  
"It was Keanie." I said and I looked in another direction to avoid her eyes. Tifa fell silent and we found ourselves back in the streets of the slums. So much had happened lately that seemed to bring back the past one way or another.  
  
We entered the bar and Rian looked up. "Hey Mysty those guys asked about you after you left suddenly, well, the redhead did. The blonde did nothin' but complain."  
  
"What did you tell them?" I asked, now realizing that they would've asked about her.  
  
"Not much, just said your name was Mysty and that you're the cook."  
  
I sighed happily. I couldn't have loved that nickname more. If Rian had said the whole name I would've been locked up in the Shinra building by now.  
  
"He said he may come back tonight." said Rian "I think he likes you or something."  
  
I felt like barfing and showed so by the look on my face. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed him relax, obviously wondering about my feelings of him.  
  
So Reno did show up that night, but I was wearing a cooking hat. He came into the kitchen dragging Elana along.  
  
"Hey Mysty can I talk to you for a second?" he asked.  
  
I spun around. It wasn't like this guy to just ask for aything. If he wanted something, that self-centred pig usually got it. In fact, I think that this was the only time I'd ever heard him ask.  
  
"I don't have anytime." I said "I've got so many orders to cook."  
  
"Alright but stay around after the bar closes." said Reno. I nodded, already planning my escape route. I peered out of the kitchen and watched them until I saw that they were at table six.  
  
Tifa was just finishing that order. "Wait." I said as I took the plate from the confuzed girl, spit into it, and grinned. Rian stepped into the kitchen and took the orders. I giggled and Tifa shook her head and went back to her cooking. That was one reason why I liked my job. It's so easy to get back at people you hate without them ever knowing.  
  
That night went by quickly, and I was hurrying Tifa to finish cleaning up when Reno stepped in. I mentally swore and was very thankful that I was still wearing the hat and apron. Not much of a disguise, but it covered up a lot of me.  
  
"I was wondering if you could tell me where I know you from, and don't say that it's because you work here because that's not the answer I want." ordered Reno.  
  
"I'm sorry," I said "but I don't remember you from anywhere but when you come here to drink." That's what my voice said, but my thoughts were pretty much saying the opposite.  
  
"I told you not to say that." sighed Reno, then he suddenly took his gun out of his pocket and aimed it at me. I glared at him, daring him to fire it. That would be the easiest way to lose all my problems.  
  
"Now," said Reno "I know you're lying, so unless you tell me where I know you from, you'll be eating a nice, warm bullet.  
  
"Hey look what's that?" I asked.  
  
"What?" asked Reno as he looked away and I snatched his gun and tossed it to Tifa, who hid it behind her back. Reno looked back, confuzed.  
  
"No, we don't have any beer left sir." I said as I lightly pushed him out of the kitchen "But we're open again tomorrow."  
  
He left and Tifa looked extremely surprized. I shrugged.  
  
"I could tell that he had drunk too much, so I just messed with his mind. It's not the first time I've done that."   
  
We were soon all cleaned up and was headed outside, when something hit Tifa, hard. She fell to the ground and I looked around but I couldn't see anything. I turned around to face Tifa again when I saw Elana pointing a gun at me and Reno fishing his gun out of Tifa's pocket, which we had.  
  
Tifa's eyes opened lazily, so Reno pulled her up and held the gun to her head.  
  
I opened my arms and spread them out, screaming, "Alright, you found me. Let her go."  
  
Reno shook his head. I guess he was a lot more sober than I assumed. "No, you're both coming with us, you're not going to pull that trick again."  
  
"What trick?" asked Elana, not taking her eyes off me. I returned the glare.  
  
"We caught her friend and agreed to let her go if Mystria would come with us. Well, she and her friend tried to get away during the switch so we tried to stop them and--"  
  
"You killed Keanie!" I screamed and flew at Elana, attacking her with all the anger that built up ever since. Elana didn't fire her gun. I was too valuable to them to be dead. Reno fired a shot, Tifa screamed, and I froze.  
  
Angrily, I looked up, expecting to see the blood, but Reno had fired the shot into the ground and Tifa's scream was of jsut surprize. Elana used the diversion to put handcuffs on my hands.  
  
"Well," smiled Reno as they shoved us into their vehicle "I think we could expect a good raise from this."  
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"Let me go!" I screamed, kicking at the man who'd dragged me out from under the slide. He put chains on me and dragged me out into the cold night.  
  
"Slaves for sell! Slaves for sale!" he shouted into the night. I curled up into a little ball and shivered, watching as everyone gave me sympathetic looks but kept walking. I screamed out and he hit me in the back hard to shut me up, which made me cry even louder.  
  
"Help me!" I screamed, but nobody paid attention. Why me? Why do people hurt me like this? Suddenly everything started spinning just as Keanie came into view.  
  
I awoke in a jail cell. Over in the far corner huddled Tifa. I took off the vest I was wearing on my shirt and tossed it to her.  
  
"What do you think they'll do?" asked Tifa.  
  
"I'm not sure." I said "But I think they'll hold you here with me until I give them what they want to know." I looked out the window of the cell door and glared at the security guard. Suddenly the door slide open and entered a man whom I hated from the beginning of all this.  
  
"No time no see, Mystria." said Tseng. I didn't reply. "Your Father has called for you."  
  
"I'm not moving." I muttered. Tseng stepped out of the room and the door closed. He was obviously calling for guards to drag me to my Father.  
  
"You're Father?" asked Tifa and the door opened again. The SOLDIERS came in and grabbed both Tifa and I.  
  
"Hey leave her out of this!" I ordered. "She hasn't done anything!"  
  
"No, but we'll use her to make you talk just in case you stop talking again." said Tseng and he ordered the guards to take us away.  
  
I glanced at Tifa. Her life was in shards and I came along and made it even worse. She was looking around the place with a terrified look on her face. She'd obviously had never been in a place like this. Here there was so much discipline and order and it seemed like they'd kill you for something so simple as sneezing.  
  
Finally we arrived. I was shoved lightly (if my father wasn't around I'd have been thrown in) through the doorway and we walked up to the large desk.  
  
"President Shinra," said Tseng "You wished to speak to Mystria."  
  
Tifa shot me a look. I guessed it wasn't common for the president's daughter to live like crap like the rest of his city's habitants. I looked around the room. It hadn't changed much since the last time I was here, except now I was finally recognised as the rebel and treated like a prisoner.  
  
"Mystria," smiled my father with a false smile. I saw through his plan before he had even said my name "It's good to have you back. We've missed you."  
  
"Then why am I wearing these handcuffs?" I asked, making it painfully obvious that I wasn't going to give any straight answers.  
  
He nodded to the guard, and the cuffs were taken off. I looked over at Tifa and my father had them taken off too. Trying to make peace, huh Dad? I looked at him, studying him as if it were my first time meeting him, trying to find forgiveness. Nope. All I found was greed. Nothing has changed, nothing at all.  
  
"It's been a long time, hasn't it sweetie." he asked.  
  
"Don't call me that. I'm not your daughter."  
  
He looked genuinely hurt. "How can you say that? I created you, I gave you a home here with me,I made sure you were well fed,-"  
  
"You killed Mom, you beat me, you treated me like I wasn't your daughter, shall I go on? Cause I've got a pretty long list and I don't mind saying them."  
  
He cleared his throat and I realized that only him, me, Tifa, and about three guards were left in the room.  
  
"I can see that I'm not getting through to you. Why don't we put these things between us?" he asked. I saw an opening that I wasn't going to miss.  
  
"Alright, than we can pretend that nothing has happened, right?" I asked. He gladly nodded. "And if we forgot everything, then I don't remember anything about any cetra.."  
  
"Yes you do!" shouted my Father and I stepped back in surprize. "Don't give me any of that &$%#@^ crap about that! You will tell me what she told you or you'll end up just like her."  
  
"Good!" I screamed back "Then I won't have to hide anymore! You've made my life miserable since the day I was born! I wish I was dead just like her!" I stopped, and tears ran down my cheeks. I've been waiting to say that for five years. I spoke again more quietly, "I wish you were dead."  
  
  
(to be continued)  
  
  
  
Caseycrystal@hotmail.com 


	3. chapter 3

We were back in our cell, but without handcuffs. Tifa watched me cry until I calmed down.  
  
"You okay Mysty?" she asked. I looked up at her. She was so innocent. She didn't deserve anything like this. I didn't either.  
  
"Oh, Tifa." I sniffed "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into this. Please don't hate me."  
  
"I don't hate you." she said softly "It's not your fault. It's his."  
  
I agreed and felt suddenly tired. I laid back on the bed and my eye lids were very heavy. Soon I was asleep and dreaming again:  
  
"Ahh, my precious specimens." smirked Hojo as he looked at all the poor creatures huddling in their cages. I was hiding behind a few empty cages watching and waiting. After a while I heard the familiar sounds of him leaving and locking to door behind him. I snuck out from my hiding place and ran to the place where I came everyday.  
  
"Are you okay, miss?" I asked. The woman shook her head but smiled at me. I handed her the food that I'd gotten from the cook.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to do this for me. It's alright." she said. I never asked much about her. I knew that if my dad found out that I knew about her, he'd beat me again until he'd get it.  
  
"But you and your baby will die if you don't get enough food. It's okay. I hate being around my Daddy anyway."  
  
She gave me a sympathetic look. I knew from the look on her face she'd met him before.  
  
"I'm going to die very soon, no matter how much food I get." she sighed. "Hojo has tired the life in my body. The only wish I now have is for my daughter's saftey."  
  
"You should leave, then." I said "Take your daughter and go." I looked at her daughter, she was maybe around my age, which wasn't very old. Aeris looked back at me through the bars and seemed unfazed. These two always seemed pretty strange, but I never really met average people. I've lived in the Shinra building for 90% of my life, so most people I've met were SOLDIERS or managment.  
  
"Is there any way out?" asked Infalnia. I described one of the many exits that she could take. So far I've been the only one who knew of the secret passageways all over the building. I spent most of my time hiding from people until they cooled down and didn't feel like beating me. I was the building's punch bag, and I wasn't going to take it anymore.  
  
"Thank you, Mystria." smiled Infalnia. "I wish I could repay you, but I have nothing. Wait, I have a story to tell you. Somewhere within the story is what many people look for. This information is really important, so I want you to remember it and not let it slip in the wrong hands."  
  
I sat back and listened, unaware of the dangers the information would later bring. It felt wonderful, having a story read to me, as if I was just a regular little girl, not the President's daughter.  
  
"Mystria?" asked Tifa and I snapped out of my daydream.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked.  
  
"What's going to happen to us?"  
  
I looked over at her. All the color had faded from her face except for the redness around her eyes. I wanted to cry again, but I wasn't going to. I'm not crying anymore. This has ruined my life long enough.  
  
"I don't know, but if we get out of here, WHEN we get out of her," I corrected myself "I want you to forget all of this. Nobody needs a memory like this, especially not anyone like you, ok?"  
  
Tifa nodded quietly and looked out of the window while I looked at a faded section on the wall right behind her back. That's where one passageway was, the very route I took when I escaped from this wretched place last time. I wouldn't use it yet, for they were sure to keep a closer eye on me this time. When the time was right, when nobody was listening, watching, or caring, Tifa and I would be through the trap door, out of the building, and away.  
  
The door swung open, and Reno walked in. Tifa backed away in fear but I backed away in revulsion.  
  
"What are you doing here?" I asked.  
  
"Just wanted to talk." said Reno as he sat in the chair in the corner. I turned my head away. I didn't feel like talking to the man who'd turned me in. "So I heard you know something important that we don't."  
  
"No #@*%$."  
  
He seemed a little shocked at my reply. Well buster, I thought, you're responsible for locking us up, you better get used to my attitude.  
  
"Now that's not any way to talk to a Turk." he said, as charming as possible. "If you're planning to get out of here, I suggest you'd tell us what we want to know, alright?"  
  
"Why don't you leave her alone?" shot Tifa and Reno's eyes fell apon her. Until then nobody but me had paid attention to her, even when she was dragged where ever I was. Reno stood up and walked over to her, towering over the shivering little girl. He bent down and a hand slapped across her face so hard she cried out and a red mark remained.  
  
"Leave her out of this!" I commanded, aware that my orders were no longer welcome her. Reno smiled and walked out of the room, satisfied. I jumped off the bed and sat beside Tifa.  
  
"I hate it here," she said so quietly "I want to go home."  
  
I couldn't decide what she called her home now, with me in the underground home, or with her family, as if nothing had happened. It didn't matter that much, because we were far from home right now. Locked up in a buildimg run by a bunch of self-serving whackos.  
  
"We'll go home very soon." I said and looked at the trap door again. "Just wait till the right moment."  
  
She gave me a confuzed look but didn't push me for anymore. We were served our meal and I saved a small slice of meat and a chunk of cheese when nobody was looking. I asked for clean clothing to wear instead of our old rags and received them imediately. When we got them, I noticed a wire within the material. They had put trackers on our clothes just in case I got away again. Well, it wasn't going to work.  
  
I pulled the sheet off the bed and asked Tifa to hold it up the the corner for me while I went behind to change. I didn't change right away, because there was a knock on the door, just like I thought. I came out from behind the sheet to answer the door. It was a security guard.  
  
"May I ask why you're hiding behind the sheet?" he asked. Obviously they spent every minute watching us.  
  
"I was going to change into my new clothes." I explained with my usual rudeness. "And I'm not planning to change in front the camera."  
  
I glared at him until he accepted my answer. I went back behind the curtain after he left with both my clothes and Tifa's. Once out of the camera's sight, I pulled the wires out and slipped them into my pocket. Also, I took the meat and cheese that I saved from earlier and smeared them against the cord that ran up the wall behind the trap door. After I was finished, I changed into the new clothing and traded places with Tifa so that she could change, still unaware of what I've done. She'll know later, after the time is right.  
  
So we both sat down on the bed and waited. For what, I wasn't sure, or so I told Tifa. There was still a few hours until "Operation Flee From Shinra" began. Until that moment I have no clue what would happen. I looked at the camera. I knew from experience that it didn't record sounmd, cause that would require more energy, and what a cycle that causes since I know where to get more energy.  
  
My train of thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock on the door and my head swung in the direction of the noise, worried. Tseng walked in and my heart began racing. Not now! This could mess everything up!  
  
"Your Father requests your presence." he said and I nodded. As Tifa and I stood up, I put one of the wires in her pocket and avoided her eye.   
  
"Ahh, Mystria." smiled my father. I didn't reply. "You know, you could at least say hi to me too."  
  
"Hullo President Shinra." I said slowly, empasizing his name. I didn't care what his reaction would be. I felt like I wasn't even there anyway. My mind was far off, wandering around and thinking of where I lived before all this mess had happened.  
  
He gave me a look that signalled he'd given up. Well, at least of getting along with me. I knew he'd never let up on trying to get me to talk. Of course, the key word is trying. That's as far as he'll get and that's how it's going to stay.  
  
I suddenly realized that he wasn't going to be his usual friendly self this time. He gave a wave to Tseng who pulled Tifa to him and held a dagger by her throat.  
  
"That's not fair!" I shouted.  
  
"Now we're getting somewhere." my father laughed with a grin. "And the only thing that's not fair is keeping things from your father."  
  
"Yeah," I shouted "only about things like getting in fights with other kids or stealing stuff!"  
  
I could see in the corner of my eye that there was light reflecting off the dagger next to Tifa's throat. I forced myself to calm down. If I got my father angry, then I'd lose the second friend I'd ever had because of him. Besides, when it was time, Tifa and I have better be back in our cell.  
  
"Now," he said "Are you gonna tell us, or will there be bloodshed on the carpet?"  
  
I looked over at Tifa. Her face was ghostly white with fear as she could barely see the dagger that threatened her life. I looked back at my father and sighed.  
  
"Can I talk to Tifa alone?" I asked, though I pretty much knew the answer.  
  
"Hmmmm.." my father scratched his head. "No, I don't think so. Anything you say to her will be said in front of us."  
  
"Alright," I said, trying to sound sad "Tifa, I'm going to have to LET YOU GO."  
  
Everyone gave me a confused look as if they were wondering what I was saying, and Tifa took about a minute to understand. She nodded her head slowly, but her eyes told me she understood.  
  
"I suppose that from that display you still haven't changed your mind." suggested my father and I glared at him. Is he joking or something? He's up to something. Otherwise Tifa would be long past dead. I gave up figuring it out and decided that he just didn't want to take any chances with me.  
  
"And I never will. You'll always be in the dark about what she told me" I said, and as if on cue, the lights went out and there was a mess of yelling in the room. I heard Tseng grunt and suddenly cry out in pain. Tifa was beating the crap out of him. All those years in the darkness of the slum had finally paid off. There was a gun shot, and before I knew it, a bullet had pierced my arm. I cried out in pain and then darted to the side. The gaurd who had hit me was trying to aim in Tifa's direction, but I took it instead. He was looking around trying to see in the dark but didn't see anything.  
  
"Mystria where are you?" hollered my father. Angrily, I picked up a chair and wailed it in his direction, smiling in satisfaction when I heard him fall back in pain. Within seconds, I ran by Tifa and pulled her along with my good arm. I pulled the wire out of her pocket, got mine too, and put them in the security guards' pockets. I pushed on the wall nearby, and shoved Tifa through the trap door. I glanced back before I darted after her. The room was in total chaos. People were fighting each other for they thought their opponent was either Tifa or I.  
  
I closed the trap door behind me and we sat back against the wall until our heart rates slowed. Tifa looked over at me.  
  
"I'm sorry." she whispered, and I patted her hand. I had long ago accepted what my life was. I just wished it wasn't like the way it was.   
  
"It's ok." I whispered back "Let's go home."  
  
We crawled through the secret tunnels silently. Through the walls we could hear the guards shout commands in search of us, but still couldn't find their ways through the darkness. I knew we'd have to get out of the tunnels right away before they figured out what was wrong.  
  
I smiled as I pictured rats and whatnot eating through those wires that I covered in meat and cheese. I took a big chance on that part. I wasn't exactly sure what wires they were, but they wouldn't have been there if they weren't important.  
  
  
(to be continued)  
  
  
  
Caseycrystal@hotmail.com 


	4. chapter 4

Rian looked up as I stormed into the empty bar. Within the next two seconds I had him thrown REALLY hard against the wall.  
  
"Hey Mysty." chuckled Rian nervoulsy "Howz it going?"  
  
"Shut up you little turd." I growled as I held him against the wall by the collar of his shirt. "Now I want a straight answer, or I'll kick you where the sun don't shine. You with me?"  
  
He nodded quickly.  
  
"I want to know what you said to the Turks, and I want it now." I growled even louder.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Fralin as he walked out of the kitchen. Tifa pulled him aside and began explaining briefly, knowing she'd be next if she gave away my secrets.  
  
"They just asked who you are and when you worked, and I told them, no harm right, you're here, see?" said Rian.  
  
"No, what I see is a gun wound on my right arm from the leader of the Turks, you squealer." I shouted. "I have spent the last few days locked up in a tiny cell and treated like $*%@. Does that sound like there was no harm done?"  
  
I forced him against the wall even tighter, and he began to sweat. Tifa and I were nearly killed because of him.  
  
"I didn't think anything would happen!" Rian pleaded.  
  
"Oh, so if the Turks question you about somebody you just assume they want to meet for tea?"  
  
He took a punch and I was knocked backwards. I wiped the blood from my mouth without taking my eyes off of him. He was pressed against the wall in defense, looking at me like I was mad.  
  
"You squealed because you wanted to get rid of me!" I accused.  
  
"Alright!" admitted Rian. "So maybe I did. But I had good reason!"  
  
"There's no good reason for sending anybody into the lion's den!" I hollered, then paused as the thought of my father came into mind. "Well, maybe some people deserve that treatment but I have never done a thing to you!"  
  
"Yes you have! I have spent two years here working my butt off before we even knew you existed and then you show up and took position of cook! Then your little friend showed up and you two share the kitchen! Now can you blame me for paying them to take you both away? I had done more than deserved to be promoted to that."  
  
"What?" asked Tifa from behind me. Now it was Tifa who had him pinned against the wall.  
  
"You take that back!" she yelled at his face and he seemed a little taken back. I wiped more blood away and let Fralin help me up as Tifa chewed him out, finally unleashing her anger. You couldn't blame her. Her father was killed, her hometown burned, friends sold as slaves, and then getting locked up and nearly killed.  
  
Rian shoved her away. "If either of you touch me again, I'll call them right away so help me."  
  
I glared at him. "You'd be dead long before they even put their jackets on."  
  
Fralin stayed back, obvioulsy knowing when to stay out of a fight, but he looked too concerned. Though he's stopped many barfights from going too far, how could he stop a fight between his own employees?  
  
Suddenly a black limo showed up in front of the bar and Rian used the distraction to twist my arm behind my back. I muttered a curse at him but swore even louder when I noticed the Turks and my very own Father step out into the night and head into the bar. Behind him was a person whom I thought I'd never see again, my own half brother Rufus.  
  
"Well well." my Father smiled as he entered the bar, embracing all of us as old friends "What a quant little bar you've got here." Then he turned his attention to me "I can't believe you were hiding under our noses after all of this time."  
  
"Yeah, guess you're just that stupid." I muttered, and Rian pulled on my arm even more.  
  
"Well done, young lad." my Father smiled "You've restrained our little rebel. Mystria, I'm surprized. You've escaped the great Shinra building with barely any injuries, yet you can't escape from one person, a boy, no less."  
  
"Shut up or I'll wail another chair at you." I threatened and he winced at the memory.  
  
"Rufus, where are you?" asked my Father and Rufus joined him. "Now this, is a good child. He follows my orders, not all the time, but he's a greater improvement than you."  
  
Rufus rolled his eyes, and I had to grin because our Father was oblivious to our hatred of him. We spent many times defying him when we were younger. In fact, I had gotten most of my rebellious attitude from none other than big bro.  
  
"You're President Shinra's daughter?" asked Rian "His lost daughter? I've heard stories about this girl running away, but I didn't know who it was."  
  
"Hurumph, yes." my Father sighed. "I guess word travels too fast in this section. Rufus, take over for the young lad and restrain you sister, will you?"  
  
Rian handed me over to Rufus, who put my hands in the cuffs (and "accidently" dropped the extra key into my hands), and I watched in horror as my Father paid Rian a large amount of gill.  
  
"Well, I must thank you all for such a wonderful time. We'll be on our way in a matter of moments. In the meantime, however, Rufus, you take Mystria to the car and watch over her, and no funny business. Barkeeper, what do you say about serving us some drinks?"  
  
Reno nodded and led me outside while Fralin reluctently gave out the booze. Reno helped me into the car as I couldn't find the heart to move. I was too busy watching Tifa. The poor girl was watching me too and fighting off tears.  
  
  
  
(to be continued)  
  
  
  
Caseycrystal@hotmail.com 


	5. chapter 5

Rufus watched me fiddle with the cuffs. "Y'know, when I told you to run away, I thought you'd go farther than sector 7. Like another continent. Ever think of that?"  
  
I peered out the windows. You could see perfectly from inside, but on the outside all you saw was black glass. "All the time."  
  
"Then why here? You should've just killed yourself for all of the stupid things to do."  
  
I didn't cringe at my brothers' bluntness. I returned his gaze. "I'm not stupid. I figured out what the cetra's story meant, didn't I? It didn't take long to realize that story tells you how to get to the Promised Land. Can you undo these for me?"  
  
"The key to freedom." said Rufus as he undid the cuffs. I knew he was talking about both the cuffs and the story. I nodded and rubbed my wrists. "You really should've gone farther away."  
  
"Didn't have the heart to. I've given up running, though I'll never tell the secret."  
  
"I missed you."  
  
I looked up, surprized. My brother and I were close, but we never said anything like that.  
  
"I missed you too. I still miss you, but I can't stay anymore."  
  
"Unless you tell the secret..."  
  
"....Or make up a new one." We laughed. Nothing has changed. We're both the same rebels plotting behind Dad's big, fat, bulging back. Then there was silence. It could never happen. I was an outcast since I help free the cetra.  
  
"They'll be returning soon. It seems they've gotten quicker at guzzling booze."  
  
"Still mess with their minds after their plastered?"  
  
"Yeah." laughed Rufus. "But you'd better go now. Hit me."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Hit me."  
  
"You weren't captured by aliens or anything, have you? Besides, the last time you tricked me into doing that you told on me and I got grounded."  
  
"That was eight years ago. We need to make it look like you hit me and escaped."  
  
"Alright." The next thing he knew, I socked him with long-awaited satisfaction.  
  
"Hey easy, you're supposed to have hit me, not attempted homicide."  
  
I giggled and we hugged good-bye before I left. I snuck around to the back and jumped down the pothole, grabbed the pipe before I landed, and swung around it until I was on top of it. Within the next few minutes my Father came out with the Turks and they got in the car and drove off. Suddenly they came back and I could hear my Father yelling as Reno opened the door and let him out.  
  
"How can you lose her?" my Father yelled with slurred words.  
  
"I dunno." said Rufus. "The little witch walloped me and escaped."  
  
"Do you want us to start a search for her?" asked Tseng.  
  
"No," was the reply "Let the &*%@$ go. As far as anyone is concerned, I never had, don't have, and never will have a daughter. Understood?"  
  
There was a chorus of "yes sir" as they piled back into the limo and drove off.  
  
I was both hurt and pleased by the words. On one side, my own father had tossed me aside and given up on me but on the other side, I was free . But I still wasn't staying around. Fralin, Tifa, and Rian all stepped outside and Fralin and Tifa began calling for me.  
  
Slowly, I crawled out of the pothole and sat on the ground. Eventually Tifa noticed me and they pulled me into the bar. I glared at Rian the whole time.  
  
"Mysty," he said quietly "I'm sorry. I didn't think about my actions. I thought you were wanted for something like stealing and they'd just put you in jail for a few months. I didn't know you were the President's lost daughter."  
  
I considered his words, then stood up. "C'mon with me outside. I wanna talk with you."  
  
Fralin looked pleased that we were going to talk this out. As soon as we were outside, I covered Rian's mouth and held him against the wall of the bar.  
  
"I'm not falling for your crap. Got it? Now I don't want to see you again around here." I threatened. Suddenly he pulled out a hidden knife and sliced my cheek open.  
  
I backed away and touched my cheek. I pulled my hand away and it was covered in my own blood.  
  
"I don't think you get it." said Rian "This is MY bar now. You are not welcome here anymore."  
  
By now it was totally dark but we were still attacking each other. Rian held me by my shirt and held the knife to my throat. I looked into his eyes, daring him to make a move.  
  
He hesitated. Perfect. He'd send me away to be locked up and try to ruin my life, but he can't put me out of my misery. I swung around and he was knocked backwards in surprize.  
  
I didn't push him that hard, but since he wasn't expecting it, he stumbled backwards quite a distance and fell into the pothole, landing with a nice splash. I walked over and peered into the darkness of the tunnel.  
  
"Mystria?" he called "We were just kidding, right? You can pull me up now."  
  
I didn't say anything. I heard him splash around trying to get out.  
  
"Mysty?" he called.  
  
"Goodbye Rian." I said softly. "You can try to get away with what you want, but you won't succeed. Everyone eventually gets what they deserve." I thought about my father, who was probably back in his office, drinking like the pig he was. "Eventually."  
  
I stepped up and stumbled into the bar after listening to the sewage monsters tear Rian apart. Fralin looked up, concerned that I was alone.  
  
"Where's Rian?" he asked.  
  
"He left." I said "He realized that he was causing too much pain here."  
  
I looked at Tifa. She didn't look like the helpless little girl whom I saved from the slave sellers. She was a lot more independant. She didn't need me anymore. No one did.  
  
"And I realized I was doing the same too. Goodbye my friends." I said.  
  
"What?" asked Fralin.  
  
"You can't leave." pleaded Tifa. "Your Dad isn't looking for you anymore. He said it himself."  
  
"I can't stay anyways." I said "I can't stay with these memories. I need to forget, and you should too. No one can live with these memories. You can do well here by yourself."  
  
I hugged her goodbye, said the same to Fralin.  
  
I looked at the plate that blocked the beautiful night sky, feeling the memories slipping away already. "Forgetting the past has never hurt anybody, and it never will." Tifa nodded.  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
  
Caseycrystal@hotmail.com 


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